FAQs BHA Exit Exam

HA 4141 is a one-hour credit course that assists in preparation for the EXIT exam. The grade for the course, offered each long semester, is on a pass-fail basis. If a student passes the EXIT exam, he/she receives a passing grade in HA 4141. The BHA Program Director schedules review sessions designed to assist students’ preparation for taking the examination. Therefore, attendance is expected. In addition, test resources are posted in the TRACS site for the course. Although review sessions are scheduled, teams of students are responsible for developing and sharing their study guides with their peers.

The EXIT exam evaluates the overall learning in the BHA curriculum. It is similar to licensing examinations found in healthcare professions such as nursing or dental hygiene. The EXIT exam is comprehensive and measures basic information from all of the courses in the BHA curriculum. In addition, it is one way to make sure that students enrolled in fieldwork experiences demonstrate their mastery of the comprehensive body of knowledge in healthcare administration.

Just like licensure examinations, the EXIT exam measures basic knowledge gained through BHA coursework. Therefore, it needs to be a comprehensive exam that includes all of the courses in the BHA curriculum. The test also adds a level of rigor to the curriculum that has led to recognition from the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), the association that certifies undergraduate health administration programs.

The EXIT exam is scheduled once during each long semester. To avoid class conflicts, it is scheduled on a Saturday (typically the 3rd weekend prior to the start of finals). Exams begin at 9:00 AM and end at 1:00 PM. An additional EXIT exam may occur during the summer for students who did not pass the spring EXIT. This arrangement allows students to be placed in their planned residency or internship in the fall semester. Students may contact the School for information for the dates for any given semester.

Currently there is a minimum of 200 multiple-choice questions on the EXIT exam. There are 12 questions for each of 16 courses in the curriculum. There will be eight questions measuring general knowledge and professionalism. Each semester’s EXIT exam contains new questions. Therefore, it is not a wise study plan to get question-specific information from previous takers.

A score of 70% or higher is considered a passing grade for the EXIT exam. However, the actual grade for the exam is pass or fail. The grade for the EXIT examination is also the grade for the course. Therefore, in HA 4141 the grade will be either pass or fail.

After compiling and reviewing the EXIT exam grades, the BHA Program Director will notify students about their EXIT exam pass/fail status. Students who fail the EXIT exam in the fall semester will receive an incomplete in HA 4141. They will take a new EXIT examination when next offered (spring semester) in order to remove the grade of incomplete. In addition, they will not be allowed to enroll in HA 4441 B (Internship) or HA 4848 (Residency) or in any other non-repeat courses. Students who initially enroll in HA4141 in the spring and who fail the EXIT exam will receive an incomplete in the course. They will take a new EXIT examination when next offered in order to remove the grade of incomplete. To avoid the penalty of two semesters without the ability to take courses, students who fail the EXIT exam in the Spring can take the EXIT exam during the first summer session. In addition, students who fail the EXIT exam in the spring semester will not beallowed to enroll in HA 4441 B (Internship) or HA 4848 (Residency) until they pass the EXIT exam. Students who fail the EXIT exam in the spring semester also cannot enroll in any non-repeat courses in the first summer session. Students who fail the examination twice will not be allowed to continue in the program.

In addition to attending HA 4141 and taking advantage of all its opportunities, students should feel free to contact individual faculty members concerning specific course material or any study methods appropriate to this material. Faculty members are likely to be more receptive if students are prepared with a list of the most significant material that needs clarification.

The contact person for questions about the schedule of the EXIT exam and other details is Julie Carroll, the School’s Administrative Assistant, at 512 245-3556 or the BHA Program Director, Dr. Lloyd Greene.